Monroe leaders said the concrete buried several feet has been there for decades when the property was Americana, and prior to that LeSourdsville Lake. That concrete is keeping the 40-acre park from draining properly and leaving standing water days after heavy rains.
Monroe officials said they wanted to hire Fishbeck to conduct a storm water plan study that was expected to take five months to complete and push Phase II development plans well into 2023.
The plan was divided into four sections with a total cost of $192,000. Those tasks included: field study, soil borings and subsurface geophysical investigation, hydrology analysis and storm water plan and storm water system conceptual design.
So far, the city has spent $2.4 million for Phase I construction at the park, officials said. The project is estimated to cost $15 million and may take 10 to 15 years to complete.
Mayor Keith Funk suggested tabling the vote and considering investing the money on the city’s other parks and possible discussing options with Butler County MetroParks.
“Change sails a little bit” is how Funk described the plan.
Vice Mayor Christina McElfresh agreed, saying: “Information is all good.”
Council approved legislation regarding plans to build a Thornton’s gas station/convenience store at Ohio 63/Gateway Boulevard and the water rates and $150,000 grant to Moeller Brew Barn, which purchased the former Rivertown Brewing Company and Barrel House building off Ohio 63.
Planning Commission recently approved a site plan for the development of Thornton’s and during the review of that plan, it was determined the city had an easement across the property that needed to be relocated.
The easement contained water and sewer mains that serve the property that houses the city’s water distribution operations, officials said.
Thorton’s is responsible for the relocation of the mains with the construction of its site, officials said.
In 2015, City Council approved a water rate adjustment for Rivertown that would be mass-producing beer at 6550 Hamilton Lebanon Road.
In recognition of the value the project brings to balancing the city’s water system and the amount of water expected to be regularly used in operations, Monroe staff recommended Moeller’s water rate be adjusted to be similar to Rivertown’s, a rate not to exceed the residential water rate.
Council also approved a grant as part of the city’s economic development incentive policy. A committee of Monroe Community Improvement Corporation members has reviewed the project’s financial information and recommended that City Council proceed with the grant due to the company’s job creation, investment and anticipated high water usage.
The grant is for $150,000 and the city will forgive $30,000 of the potential repayment each year that the metrics are met, for a total of five years.
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